area51novel Chapter 240 Find a time at night
Chapter 240 Find a time at night
In a corner of the courtyard, the sun shines obliquely and the shadows of the trees sway, but this peaceful atmosphere is broken by a fierce quarrel. Yi Zhonghai, the elder in the courtyard, was walking leisurely on his way home when he heard the familiar quarrel from afar. He frowned and couldn't help but quicken his pace.
When I got closer, I saw Sha Zhu and Xu Damao standing face to face, arguing with each other. Some neighbors had gathered around them to watch the fun, some were talking among themselves, while others were curiously craning their necks to try to see the expressions of the two.
"Shazhu, Xu Damao, why are you two quarreling again?" Yi Zhonghai stepped forward and interrupted their quarrel. Although his voice was not loud, it had a kind of imposing aura that made the two of them shut up temporarily.
When Xu Damao saw Yi Zhonghai coming, he seemed to have found a savior, and immediately shouted at the top of his voice: "Uncle Yi, you are here! You have to give me some justice! Shazhu has gone too far, he even made Banggeng dirty all over!" His face was full of anger and grievance, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
When Sha Zhu heard this, his eyes widened immediately, and like an enraged bull, he responded angrily: "Xu Damao, stop talking nonsense here! I didn't even touch the stick! How can you accuse me like this?" His voice was full of anger and dissatisfaction, and his hands were clenched into fists, as if he would swing them at Xu Damao at any time.
Seeing this, Yi Zhonghai quickly waved his hand and said, "Okay, okay, stop arguing! We are neighbors, let's talk it out nicely." His voice was gentle but firm, which made both of them calm down a little.
Seeing Yi Zhonghai standing on his side, Xu Damao became even more proud. He sneered and said, "Hmph, who knows if you have done something bad behind our backs. Anyway, Banggeng is covered in dirt now, who else could it be but you?" His tone was full of provocation and sarcasm, as if he had already determined that Shazhu was the culprit.
When Sha Zhu heard this, he was even more furious. He pointed at Xu Damao's nose and cursed: "Xu, stop slandering me here! Although I am usually honest and simple, I will not let anyone bully me! If you dare to wrongly accuse me again, I will never let you go!" His voice was full of anger and determination, as if it would explode at any time.
Yi Zhonghai saw this and knew that the two had reached an impasse. He took a deep breath and then slowly said, "Calm down, both of you! Listen to what I have to say. Shazhu, I know you are usually honest and simple and would not do such a thing. But Xu Damao also said that Banggeng is indeed dirty now. There must be an explanation for this matter, right?"
After hearing this, Sha Zhu calmed down a little. He thought for a moment and said, "Uncle Yi, I really didn't touch the stick. I can swear!" His tone was full of determination and sincerity.
Xu Damao was a little shaken when he saw Sha Zhu's firm words. But he still said unwillingly: "Humph, what's the point of swearing? Unless you can produce evidence to prove that you didn't do it!"
Yi Zhonghai saw this and knew that the matter had reached a deadlock. He thought for a moment and said, "How about this, let's go find Bang Geng to ask about the situation and see if he can provide some clues." His tone was full of wisdom and decisiveness, and both of them nodded in agreement.
Yi Zhonghai looked around at the onlookers in the courtyard. Everyone's face was full of curiosity and gossip, but more of it was anticipation for what would happen next. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his inner restlessness and uneasiness. He knew that as the elder of the courtyard, he had the responsibility and obligation to mediate the dispute and bring things back to peace.
He looked at Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, both of whom had anger and dissatisfaction on their faces. He knew that at this moment, the anger in their hearts was burning fiercely and difficult to calm down. But he knew that only by staying calm could he find the truth of the matter.
"How about this, you two calm down first." Yi Zhonghai spoke slowly, his voice steady and powerful, "I'll go ask Bang Geng what's going on, and then everything will become clear." His words revealed an unquestionable authority, causing the two of them to shut up temporarily.
After saying that, Yi Zhonghai started walking towards Banggeng. Banggeng was sitting on the ground, covered with dirt and dust, with tears on his face, looking pitiful. Jia Zhang hugged Banggeng tightly, her eyes full of anger and dissatisfaction.
"Why are you asking? It was Shazhu who did it!" Jia Zhang saw Yi Zhonghai coming over and immediately shouted. Her voice was sharp and piercing, echoing in the courtyard.
Yi Zhonghai stopped and looked at Jia Zhang and Bang Geng, feeling helpless. He knew that Jia Zhang always favored his grandson and was prejudiced against Sha Zhu. But he decided to understand the situation first so as to make a fair judgment.
"Mrs. Jia, don't be anxious." Yi Zhonghai advised patiently, "We have to find out the truth of the matter and not arbitrarily accuse people." His tone was full of sincerity and determination, which made Mrs. Jia Zhang calm down a little.
But Jia Zhang was still unyielding, "What else is there to ask? Isn't it obvious that Sha Zhu is bullying Bang Geng?" Her words were full of accusations and dissatisfaction towards Sha Zhu.
Yi Zhonghai frowned, knowing that Jia Zhang's emotions were a little out of control. But he decided to continue to persuade her, "Sister Jia, I understand your feelings. But we can't just draw conclusions based on speculation. I have to ask Bang Geng to see what he really said."
After saying that, Yi Zhonghai squatted down and looked at Banggeng gently, "Banggeng, can you tell Uncle Yi what is going on?" His voice was soft and kind, which made Banggeng feel a little comforted.
Bang Geng raised his head, looked at Yi Zhonghai, then looked at Jia Zhangshi and Sha Zhu beside him, with a hint of hesitation in his eyes. But he still nodded and began to tell the story.
Yi Zhonghai listened carefully to Banggeng's story, nodding or frowning from time to time. He knew that only by understanding the truth of the matter could he make a fair judgment.
At this moment, Sha Zhu and Xu Damao were also listening to Bang Geng's story quietly. Their faces were full of tension and expectation, as if they were waiting for an answer that could change their fate.
At this time, Bang Geng sobbed and said, "Grandma, I was doing my homework last night, and I don't know how some soy sauce came in through the window and got all over my body and homework!"
After hearing Banggeng's statement, Yi Zhonghai frowned. He knew that disputes in the courtyard often arose from trivial matters, but the situation this time was obviously a bit complicated. He turned his gaze to Shazhu, hoping to get some clues or explanations from him.
When Sha Zhu saw Yi Zhonghai asking, he immediately showed an innocent expression. He loudly defended himself: "God, I swear to God, I went to bed early last night, so I didn't have the time to tease Bang Geng! Although I, Sha Zhu, am carefree usually, I would never do such a boring thing." His voice was full of determination and grievance, as if he was really wronged.
However, Xu Damao didn't think so. Seeing Sha Zhu being so arrogant, he immediately fanned the flames, "Humph, who knows if you are pretending! You usually like to play tricks on people, maybe you did it this time." His tone was full of provocation and suspicion, which made Sha Zhu even more angry.
When Sha Zhu heard this, he was immediately furious. He widened his eyes, pointed at Xu Damao's nose and cursed: "If you have the guts, show me the evidence! Don't try to wrongly accuse me with empty words!" His voice echoed in the courtyard, attracting the attention of the people around him.
Facing such a rogue Sha Zhu, Yi Zhonghai was helpless. He knew that in this situation, unless there was solid evidence, it would be difficult to make Sha Zhu admit his fault. He sighed helplessly and walked to Jia Zhang's side.
Jia Zhang was holding Banggeng and crying. When she saw Yi Zhonghai coming over, she immediately complained, "Uncle Yi, you have to make a decision for me! My Banggeng is usually so well-behaved and sensible, how could he be bullied like this?" Her voice was full of helplessness and anger.
Yi Zhonghai saw this and quickly comforted her: "Mrs. Jia, don't worry. I will find out the truth as soon as possible. But the most important thing now is to let Banggeng take a shower and change into clean clothes." He turned to the neighbor next to him and said: "Who has hot water? Lend some to Banggeng to take a bath."
Soon, a kind neighbor brought hot water and clean clothes. Jia Zhang gratefully accepted them and took Banggeng to take a bath.
After Jia Zhang and Bang Geng left, Yi Zhonghai once again turned his attention to Sha Zhu and Xu Damao. He sternly reprimanded them, "You two are neighbors in the courtyard, and you should live in harmony. How can you quarrel over such a small matter? Moreover, you have wronged Sha Zhu, which is really inappropriate!"
Sha Zhu and Xu Damao were scolded by Yi Zhonghai until their faces turned red. They lowered their heads and dared not say anything more.
Finally, Yi Zhonghai clapped his hands vigorously and said loudly: "Alright, alright, stop making trouble! Go back to work and go to school! I will continue to investigate this matter. If it was really done by Sha Zhu, I will never let him go; but if it was a misunderstanding, I will also clear his name."
As soon as Yi Zhonghai finished speaking, the atmosphere in the courtyard became much more relaxed. Everyone dispersed and returned to their own lives. Sha Zhu and Xu Damao also left the scene, but their doubts and dissatisfaction did not dissipate. They were all waiting for Yi Zhonghai's investigation results, hoping to uncover the truth of the matter.
Sha Zhu went to work in a depressed mood. He originally wanted to punish Bang Geng, but he didn't expect to cause so much trouble. Now Qin Huairu ignored him even more.
The steel mill's medical room was filled with the smell of disinfectant.
Zhang Jianjun gently closed the medical record book, having just seen off a co-worker who came for treatment.
He leaned back in his chair and breathed a sigh of relief.
Not long after, there was a slight sound of footsteps outside the door, and then Qin Huairu walked in. Her face was a little pale, and her eyes revealed a trace of fatigue.
"I feel a little unwell!" Qin Huairu said softly.
Zhang Jianjun looked at the woman in front of him and couldn't help feeling pity in his heart.
Since taking over the job at the steel rolling mill, Qin Huairu, as a woman, has always found it difficult to adapt to the high-intensity work pace in the factory.
"Okay, I'll write you a sick leave note and go back to rest for two days!" Zhang Jianjun quickly picked up the pen, wrote a few lines on the medical record, and then handed it to Qin Huairu.
Qin Huairu took the note and smiled happily: "Great!"
However, Zhang Jianjun's eyes did not leave Qin Huairu. He looked at her worriedly, thinking that this was not a solution.
So, he said to Qin Huairu seriously: "I think we should think of a way to change your job. It's too hard for a woman like you to stay in the workshop all the time, and it's not a long-term solution!"
Qin Huairu sighed helplessly after hearing this: "What else can I do now? I don't have the ability to fight for a transfer."
After saying that, she lowered her head, looking a little depressed.
Seeing this, Zhang Jianjun raised the corners of his mouth slightly and revealed a confident smile.
He suddenly stood up, hugged Qin Huairu, and gently comforted her: "You don't have it, but I do! Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
Qin Huairu blushed immediately and pushed Zhang Jianjun coquettishly: "You are so bad, stop it, I will find a time tonight and let you do it properly!"
Although her voice was low, the shyness and anticipation contained in it were not concealed at all.
Qin Huairu left with the leave note. Zhang Jianjun thought about it and decided that if he wanted to transfer his job, he would need to find the factory director.
But the factory manager is still angry because I beat Sha Zhu a few days ago, so it seems I still need to think of a solution.
At the same time, Sha Zhu was sitting leisurely in the canteen kitchen, with a cigarette ring in his mouth and his eyes half closed, as if he was enjoying this rare leisure time.
He looked at his apprentice Ma Hua who was busy preparing meals in front of him, and suddenly he had an idea and thought about doing something small.
Sha Zhu thought to himself, "Hmm... these dishes look pretty good! I might as well ask Xiao Hua to pick out some good ones and pack them in two lunch boxes for me to take away. Hehe, this way, I'll have a treat tonight!"
So Sha Zhu stood up, walked towards Ma Hua, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Xiao Hua, come here. Do the master a favor and pick out the well-cooked dishes and prepare two lunch boxes for me. Remember, put more meat!"
When Ma Hua heard what his master said, he was stunned at first, then he smiled knowingly.
He thought to himself: "Hey, so Master wants to please Qin Huairu again!"
He understood that Sha Zhu had always had special feelings for Qin Huairu, but this was not the first time he had behaved like this.
Although Ma Hua understood the situation, he still did as Sha Zhu asked.
After a while, two lunch boxes filled with delicious food were placed in front of Sha Zhu.
Sha Zhu nodded with satisfaction, picked up his lunch box and prepared to leave.
At this moment, Ma Hua couldn't help but ask, "Master, are you planning to give this to Qin Huairu again?"
Sha Zhu looked back at Ma Hua and scolded him with a smile: "Stop talking nonsense, you little bastard! Go to work!"
After saying that, Sha Zhu picked up the lunch box, walked out of the kitchen happily, and headed towards Qin Huairu's house.
Along the way, he was happily thinking about how to make Qin Huairu happy, and completely forgot that he was just being lazy!
Ma Hua, who stayed in the kitchen, shook his head helplessly and continued to devote himself to his busy work.